So, I go to the bike shop today, and snag me some new stuff. I figure its time to take this gear thing seriously and ditch the entry level half ass "protective" stuff I've got, since im gettin more comfortable on the gixxer and taking turns at harder leans.

So I go up and get me some icon boots, order a new icon hooligan coat, and get a new KBC helmet. Some frame sliders, and I order a new windscreen.

Sliders didnt work out for me, one bolt is way too long. Gotta take em back and see what the deal is.

I come out of the garage, and my Girl has adopted a dog from the humane society. Its a chow mix, and seems great with my daughter who is two years old. So no big deal. Now we have a dog. Ok.

Put the bike back together, and realize my chain has WAY too much slack. After fiddling with that for a bit, i finally get it just right, or close enough. I go out and test the bike, it rides real nice. I come home, and suddenly a lightbulb goes off...

WARNING, COMPLETE IDIOCY FOLLOWS....

I look back, and thankfully my axle nut is still on the bike. Forgot to tighten it up and cotter pin it! So I fiddle with it all some more, get it right again, crank the nut down, (That i just bought a torque wrench for, and somehow forgot to tighten...) and get it all nice. Chain goes tight on me when i crank the nut down.

So again, take it apart, do it again, this time i tighten the axle nut while the chain is real loose, Then adjust the chain slack. Works great. (this whole fiasco, between trips to the auto parts store and everything, took about 3 hours.)

go out for a ride, everything is fine. Then I decide to break my cherry. Havent been on the express way on the bike yet, its late, traffic is light...

So I hit it, hit about 90 mph, wind is blowin me off the damn bike! haha!

Get off the e-way, cruise for a bit. I see about 6 sp bikes commin the opposite way on the road. They all turn around and catch up to me. We ride for a minute or two.. Till they start doin stoppies at lights and almost drop thier bikes. So I turn and head on home.

Just felt like sharing my fun friday with you guys. Hahah! Hopefully tomorrow will be a little bit of a slower pace.

Jay this bit of "--i tighten the axle nut while the chain is real loose, Then adjust the chain slack.--" is not correct. So ask if you have a proper rear stand for your bike. If not so then time to get one & then you can work on the rear wheel properly.

Obviously you have the rear wheel out of line. Once you get a rer stand then you might as said shop you buy it form HOW to line up the rear whell correctly or possibly come to this or other boards.

Basically when you have to much slack then up goes the rear wheel, slack off the axle nut. Now look for the loosest part of the chain & set the slack from there. THEN tighten up the axle nut though again go over the chain to find if it is to tight or to loose.

Even when you put the bike on its two wheel again put your weight on the bike & slowly row it to the front or rear a few inches & checking the chain slack.

If you have drarmatic differences THEN you are probably looking at an almost woren out chain. If so then that means new chain & NEW sprocets. Along with proper servicing & lubing.

You might invest a bit of money in a Clymers or Haynes manual on your model of bike for they give you more info then the MOM & help you in servicing or wrenching the bike a bit or a lot.

if you look around, you can get front and rear stands cheap. Check out gixxer.com's forum and you could find a set for like 100-150 bucks. I saw a shop in Charlotte that makes them and sells them for 100 bucks + shipping. Good investment.

If not, go grab yourself a few concrete blocks and 2x12's. They work wonders when you doing stuff on bikes. I got a few blocks and lots of wood from a dumpster near a construction site.

Well fellahs, I do have a rear stand. Actually, the manual says to do it while its on the side stand.

The bike has 1380 miles on it, nothing is worn.

The chain is dead on. Not out of alignment at all. The swingarm actually has notches for you to use as a guide, in making sure its perfectly lined up. When I look up the chain, its dead nuts straight.

I took it in to the shop today to drop off my frame sliders, since there was a packing mistake and I had one wrong bolt. While I was there, I had them look at it to see if I did it right. they said the slack now is perfect, its lined up perfectly, and I told them how I ended up doing it, since the chain would tighten so much when I torqued out the axle nut. Everything is completly perfect, and they said its fine. They said its strange to do it that way, and off of a center stand, even tho the manual says do it on the side stand. So next time I will do it on the center stand I have.

BUT, it worked out fine. Everything is well.

I do have a question tho, the manual says use kerosene to clean/lube the chain. Does anyone do this? Or is there a better method..... And do you take the chain off and soak it? Or do you do it some other way?

^you have a center stand or a rear stand? those are two different stands. The center stand is more like a car jack that goes right under the bike and lifts it up. Rear and front stands just goes on either rim and props them up.

You can adjust the chain while the bike is on it's own side stand, but it is easier to prop it on a rear stand. It's also much easier to lub since you don't have to move the whole bike.

As for the Kerosene, not really sure about that. But if you go to the dealership or any other bike store/shop, they should have specific motorcycle chain lub or chain cleaners. I just use a paper towel to clean the chain off and then use silicone based lubes to lube the chain.

Sounds like a rear stand. Same thing I have. I've heard to use kerosene to clean out the old grease and dirt, but dont use it for lube. I usually use WD40 and a cheap tooth brush to clean the chain and then relube it with some silicone chain lube.

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